


Rumor Has It

by Lecrit



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is a Little Shit, Alternate Universe - Office, But they're not really enemies, Colleagues - Freeform, Competitive Little Shits, Enemies to Lovers, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, Magnus is a little shit, Pool & Billiards, Rumors, True love right there, oblivious idiots, their friends are very much done with them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:29:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16173260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lecrit/pseuds/Lecrit
Summary: Magnus widens his eyes at him, silently asking him to just give him this one. Alec simply curves one of his stupidly perfect eyebrows in response, a simple gesture that carries the weight of a call for challenge.“Looks like you’re gonna have to postpone your wedding for now,” Maia giggles next to him.Magnus huffs, flexing his jaw. “Oh, it’s on, Lightwood,” he mouths at him..Or the one where Alec and Magnus are both after the same guy, but end up falling for each other instead.





	Rumor Has It

**Author's Note:**

> Hello cupcakes,
> 
> Well, I guess I'm not done writing about Malec after all...
> 
> This is inspired by [this](https://twitter.com/boltonsarrow/status/1045982568036880384) tweet, thank you so much to Yara for letting me use her idea. ❤️  
> I had a lot of fun writing this in the past three days, so I hope y'all will have just as much fun reading it.
> 
> Thank you to my beautiful boo Jackie for beta'ing this.
> 
> Please use the #lecrit hashtag if you're live-tweeting so I can keep track of your reactions.
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
>  
> 
> Chinese translation is available [here](http://noraafunomi.lofter.com/post/20176a56_1c621c372) and [here](http://noraafunomi.lofter.com/post/20176a56_1c6220a94).

Magnus loves his job. He really does, but he could do without the interminable biweekly meetings where the only form of excitement comes from watching Meliorn from the help desk try to pretend he remembers everyone’s name or Simon from accounting attempt every time to make conversation with Maia, who indulges him and always seems to be wondering why he can’t align two sentences without mentioning his band because he can’t bring himself to actually invite her to one of their gigs.

These meetings are always uneventful, and Magnus would be much better off back in his office working rather than hearing about every department’s achievements. He finds some comfort in knowing that Alec, the Head of the IT department and resident grump, looks almost as bored as Magnus feels.

He is more than happy to be proven wrong, however, when Luke walks into the room with a man they have never seen before but who is undoubtedly a former contestant from Mister Universe. He is all chiseled jaw and tanned skin, and when he flashes them a grin that reveals perfectly aligned white teeth and the sharpness of his cheekbones, Magnus feels his cheeks flush from the sight alone.

From the corner of his eye, Magnus catches Alec straightening on his seat, dropping his iPad to focus on the newcomer. Magnus can relate.

Maybe Luke finally realized how boring these things are and decided to provide eye candy for their trouble. If Magnus were Head of HR, he’d be giving Luke a raise right about now – sure, Luke is the boss, but Magnus makes a mental note to mention it to Maia later nonetheless.

“Hi everyone,” Luke says, and Magnus tears his eyes away from Tall Glass of Handsome to focus his attention on him. “This is Paolo Ceballos, our new Head of Branch Operations, I trust you will give him a warm welcome.”

Magnus smirks behind his fuming mug of coffee. He is more than willing to give Paolo the _warmest_ welcome. Just give him thirty minutes alone with the man.

“Hi,” Paolo says, sending them another one of his Colgate certified smiles. “I look forward to working and getting to know all of you.”

“So do we,” Magnus replies coyly. “Welcome to the Institute, Paolo.”

Paolo’s grin gets somehow wider, and Magnus swears he hears Maia sigh happily on his left. Magnus leans towards her, although he doesn’t take his eyes off Paolo.

“Did you hire him?” he whispers to her. “If so, I will buy you that jacket that you were telling me about even though it costs a fortune.”

Maia snorts, elbowing him gently. “Sadly, I did not. This was all Luke.”

“I’ll be sure to ask him to be my best man when I marry Cheekbones over there.”

“Alright,” Luke says, clapping his hands. “Any volunteers to show Paolo around after the meeting?”

Magnus lets a second tick by before he raises his hand, and his mouth falls open when he realizes Alec beat him to it, his hand shooting in the air faster than he can say ‘combat boots’.

“Two volunteers!” Luke exclaims cheerfully, although he eyes Alec a bit dubiously. “Great!”

It is well known in the Institute that Alec isn’t exactly a social butterfly, unlike Magnus who is usually always the one showing the newbies around. Alec likes to hide in his batcave doing whatever it is that IT guys do. Magnus has no idea; he just knows Alec is great at his job from the few times he fixed Magnus’ stuff for him when he was on the verge of throwing everything through the window, and that Alec is far too handsome to be hiding his pretty face down there, but that’s about it.

“Are you stretching?” he asks Alec when he doesn’t lower his hand.

Alec frowns, and his eyes dart to Paolo for a second before he shakes his head at Magnus.

Oh _._

_Oh._

Magnus widens his eyes at him, silently asking him to just give him this one. Alec simply curves one of his stupidly perfect eyebrows in response, a simple gesture that carries the weight of a call for challenge.

“Looks like you’re gonna have to postpone your wedding for now,” Maia giggles next to him.

Magnus huffs, flexing his jaw. “Oh, it’s on, Lightwood,” he mouths at him.

Alec doesn’t look very impressed as he sends Magnus one of his lopsided grins. Magnus hopes he doesn’t use one of these on Paolo, because they are quite simply adorable.

.

Once the meeting is over, they take Paolo for a tour of the building. He tells them that he just moved to New York from Sacramento and Magnus points out that it explains where he gets his _marvelous_ tan from. Alec can’t help but roll his eyes when Magnus throws him a triumphant grin as Paolo laughs.

They show him to the HR department, and Alec takes the opportunity of Paolo going around to shake a few hands and introduce himself to walk up to Magnus.

“What the hell are you doing, Bane?” he hisses under his breath.

Magnus lifts an eyebrow, but stares pointedly at his manicured nails. “I could ask you the same question, Lightwood,” he replies pointedly. “I’m just showing the new guy around, like I always do.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s all you have in mind,” Alec snorts. “Showing the new guy around.”

Magnus shrugs, winking at him. “Unlike you, of course, who is only doing it out of the goodness of your heart.”

Alec purses his lips, annoyed, and quickly takes a look at Paolo, who is chatting animatedly with Ollie as she shows him the view from the HR office, New York spreading under their feet. The daylight is pouring through, catching on the blonde strands of his otherwise chestnut hair, making his light green eyes shine beautifully.

Paolo glances back at Magnus and him for a second, and they wave at him in a same movement, making his smile grow broader.

“He’s so fucking hot,” Magnus sighs by his side.

Alec’s head whips around to focus on Magnus again. “Come on, Magnus,” he murmurs resolutely. “You can have anyone.”

Magnus lifts an eyebrow at him, looking equally surprised and disbelieving. “Have you seen your face lately, Alexander?”

Alec’s surprise is short-lived and before he can ask Magnus exactly what he means by that, Paolo is back by their side, his eternal grin gracing his ethereal features. This is really unfair.

“What’s next?” he asks them, eyes filled with guileless enthusiasm.

“Last stop: the Batcave!” Magnus tells him.

Alec huffs out in annoyance. “Stop calling it that,” he grumbles. “People have started calling Underhill ‘Alfred’ because of you.”

“Lead the way, Mr. Wayne,” Magnus says with a cheeky grin.

Alec rolls his eyes, marching decidedly to the elevators.

.

Alec’s first victory comes in the form of a monstrous poster on the wall of the IT room.

Underhill is sitting behind his desk, munching on an apple when he sees them walking in.

“Hey, boss,” he says dubiously, watching Magnus and Paolo behind him.

Alec isn’t sure if he is more curious at the insanely hot stranger following him or at Magnus actually stepping foot here, because he usually bribes Underhill with coffee from the marketing department when he has computer problems so he doesn’t have to come down here. Their coffee is the best in the entire building, so Alec doesn’t blame Underhill too much, even though computer problems can usually be solved on the phone.

Paolo goes to introduce himself before Alec can make the introductions himself, and Underhill wipes his hand on his jeans before shaking his hand, because there aren’t enough clichés about IT people already.

“If you have a problem with your computer, you can come down here anytime,” Alec says when Paolo turns back to them. “Or you can call me and I’ll come ‘round to fix it. I usually always answer my work line but I can give you my private number if that helps.”

“Real subtle, Lightwood,” Magnus mumbles at his side, and Alec elbows him in the ribs not so gently.

Paolo just nods in agreement as his eyes drift across the room, widening when they stop on the poster Underhill begged him for months to hang there before Alec eventually caved, if only to shut him up.

“Oh my God, you’re a Yankees fan?” he exclaims.

Alec gulps, darting a quick glance to Underhill, who looked up from his computer at the mention of his favorite team. Alec takes a moment to study Paolo’s body language before he answers. If Underhill’s obsession with baseball has taught him one thing, it is that the team topic has to be broached cautiously.

“Yeah?” he says tentatively.

Paolo’s whole face lights up, and Alec is almost tempted to turn to Magnus to throw him a triumphant grin.

“Since when?” Underhill snorts, and he is about to continue but Alec sends him a glance that is both pleading and threatening and he closes his mouth abruptly. “Oh yeah,” he says instead with an awkward chuckle that quickly morphs into a smirk. “Alec _loves_ baseball. Ask him anything.”

Simon has just been upgraded to Best Friend #1. Alec can’t wait to tell him.

“Who’s your favorite player?” Paolo asks enthusiastically.

“Yes, Alexander,” Magnus chimes in, wearing the most shit-eating grin Alec has ever seen in his entire twenty-six years of existence. “Do tell.”

Alec really hopes Magnus can read the ‘fuck you’ his eyes are throwing at him. He quickly focuses back on Underhill, trying to wrap his mind around the endless monologues his best friend sometimes has over baseball that have Alec tuning off and humming in acknowledgement despite his attention being elsewhere. He’s almost positive he heard him say good things about some Raj guy?

Underhill rolls his eyes and lifts up a newspaper in Paolo’s back, showing Alec the headline.

“Aldertree,” he says. “Victor,” he adds, just to prove to Underhill that he does listen to him sometimes so he does remember the guy’s first name.

“He’s mine too!” Paolo exclaims gleefully. “I was hoping I’d find someone who loves baseball as much as I do in New York! We should go see a game soon.”

Well, Alec supposes he’s a Yankees fan now.

.

Friday nights at the Hunter’s Moon are a long time tradition in the Institute. It’s the perfect place to wind down after a productive week, talk shit about their clients –because Luke is admittedly the best boss ever so there isn’t much bad to be told about him– and socialize a bit. Maia set it up when she first arrived in the company as a way to bring the different departments closer, and although it got off to a rocky start, Magnus would now deem it a resounding success.

Gretel, the bartender, is one of Maia’s childhood friends and she always makes sure that their favorite area is free for her best customers, close to the pool table but secluded enough that they can hear each other talk.

Magnus made sure that Paolo was made aware of this institution –as in, he walked in his office in the afternoon and made him promise to join them, which didn’t take much convincing because Magnus is naturally very charming– but he still finds himself mesmerized once again when Paolo walks into the bar, having ditched his usual professional attire for a more casual one, tight jeans and a light blue fitting t-shirt that is positively sinful around his arms.

“I’m in love,” Magnus tells Ragnor, who looks away from his pint to follow his gaze.

“He’s too pretty for you,” Ragnor says because he has no idea what friendship is. “You’ll ruin him.”

“I sure hope so,” Magnus retorts with a wink, slipping out of their booth to greet Paolo as he makes his way to them. “Paolo! So glad you could make it.”

Paolo runs a hand in his hair, chuckling awkwardly. “I got a bit lost,” he admits sheepishly, which somehow makes him look ten times hotter. Magnus is convinced there is some divine power working here. “But thankfully Alec texted me to make sure I was okay and met me at the subway station. We walked here together.”

“Did he now?” Magnus hisses, narrowing his eyes at the culprit as he joins them.

“I was running late anyway, it was no trouble,” Alec says, holding out a beer to Paolo and flashing Magnus an innocent smile as if he didn’t wait to come in on purpose. Alec is _never_ late.

“So nice of you, Alexander,” Magnus hums, his eyes saying quite the opposite.

Paolo looks away from them, taking in the surroundings, and Magnus seizes the moment to throw Alec a murderous glare that only earns him a satisfied wink in return. Magnus shakes his head to hide his amused snort.

They have known each other for quite some time, having been colleagues for over two years, but this is a side of Alec he’s never seen. Alec is usually quiet, hiding in his batcave with Underhill during the weeks and usually chatting with him, Simon and Maia during their Fridays out. They’ve never really talked; Magnus just knows from what Maia told him that Alec is a pretty decent guy –she actually used the word ‘great’ but that’s all Magnus is willing to grant him for now– and that Luke is dating his mother. His knowledge is pretty limited, but he never expected this cheeky, confident side of him nonetheless. He has to admit it is kind of endearing, even though they’re both after the same guy.

Paolo’s eyes stop on the pool table in the corner, providing Magnus with the perfect opportunity.

“Do you want to play?” he asks.

“Yes!” Alec chimes in, and Magnus scratches everything he just thought about him.

Alec Lightwood is a pain in the ass.

Paolo chuckles. “I’m gonna go say hi to everyone first.”

“We can play later,” Magnus says with a nod.

“You two play,” he tells them. “Alec clearly really wants to. I’ll join you later!”

And he walks away without another word, sitting down in front of Ragnor.

Magnus purses his lips, poking Alec on the chest. “This is your fault, Lightwood.”

Alec swats his hand away. “How is it my fault? Do you even know how to play pool?”

Magnus isn’t sure what is the most offensive: the fact that he would question his skills in the first place, or the little mocking snort he lets out right afterwards.

Magnus narrows his eyes on him. “I’m going to destroy you, you’ll be going home crying and never wanting to touch a cue stick again, Lightwood.”

Alec smirks, an eyebrow curved in defiance. “I’d like to see you try, Bane.”

Magnus grabs his arm unceremoniously and marches towards the pool table, dragging Alec with him.

It takes him ten minutes to figure out that Alec is actually really damn good at pool, and ten more for Alec to admit that Magnus does know how to play after his thunderous victory –which is not that thunderous, because Alec was one shot away from winning himself but those are unnecessary details– and to ask for a rematch.

Magnus accepts, if only to show him again who’s the boss, and loses.

By the time they stop, each of them won twice, and although Magnus wouldn’t confess even if one threatened to divulge that awful picture of him with bleached strands of spiked-up hair in high school, he is actually having fun. There is a real challenge in playing against Alec, and his snarky remarks make him laugh despite himself. And maybe Magnus is slightly proud when he makes Alec laugh in return with pool innuendos, although he tries to hide it with his characteristic eyerolls.

The fact that Magnus has a regular opportunity to ogle Alec’s backside as he leans in to take his shot is just a bonus.

Conceding that they will not settle the question of which one of them is the better player tonight, they eventually make their way back to their table, surprised to find it almost empty.

Maia and Underhill are sitting together, gushing over pictures of dogs on their phones.

“Where’s Paolo?” Magnus and Alec ask in the same voice.

Maia looks up at them and chuckles, shaking her head in something akin to fondness, although it could also be irritation, Magnus isn’t entirely sure.

“He left an hour ago,” Underhill eludes, looking at them like they are the biggest idiots in the entire universe, which might not be too far off the truth. “When you two were fighting about which place in Brooklyn serves the best burgers.”

Magnus’ mouth drops open in shock as Underhill’s words dawn on him. Alec goes equally still at his side, and Magnus spins towards him to point an accusatory finger at him.

“This is your fault!” Alec exclaims before Magnus can.

He gasps in offense instead. “My fault? You’re the one who insisted on a rematch!”

“Which I won, despite you claiming you haven’t lost a game in years. And you’re the one who asked to play pool in the first place!”

“To Paolo!”

“Guys,” Maia scoffs out, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips, “next round on me for your troubles?”

Magnus heaves out a deep breath, dropping in the booth in front of her. “I guess,” he grumbles.

Alec pushes Magnus further away to take a seat next to him. Magnus swats his hand away, glaring at him, and Alec glares right back, downing the rest of Underhill’s beer.

Underhill doesn’t even try to stop him. “You’re buying me the next one.”

Alec shrugs. “Might as well.”

.

Alec is still moping on Monday morning, which might have to do with still being hungover. He isn’t sure how the four of them ended up staying there until the closing time but he does remember the acid regret that came the next morning when he woke up convinced he was dying, or on his way there. He did find some comfort in the memory of Magnus improvising a karaoke night and giving them a hilarious and extremely alcohol-ridden performance of Wannabe by the Spice Girls, coercing Maia and Underhill into joining him while Alec looked on from his spot on the booth, wiping the tears of laughter from the corner of his eyes.

He hasn’t been doing much work, scrolling down a Wikipedia page to learn about the rules of baseball, cursing inwardly that it shouldn’t be that difficult to comprehend for a grown man with a Master’s degree in computer engineering.

On the desk opposite him, Underhill is busy building a pyramid with everything he can find nearby. This is definitely a slow day for the IT department.

The whole day takes a turn –gorgeous, _beautiful_ turn– when Paolo walks in just as Alec is about to give up and ask Underhill to give him a crash course on this demonic sport. Alec quickly shuts the Wikipedia page, straightening in his chair.

“Good morning,” Paolo says cheerfully, clearly not suffering from a three-day long hangover. “Are you busy or can I bother you for a moment?”

“I can make time for you,” Alec replies. Underhill snorts, and Alec carefully hides the middle finger he addresses him in response behind the stack of report files he keeps on his desk. “What’s the matter?”

“I can’t log into the intranet,” Paolo explains with a sheepish smile. “It’s telling me that my user ID is not valid.”

“What a coincidence! I have the exact same problem!”

Alec curses under his breath as Magnus waltzes in, all graceful moves and annoyingly gorgeous features, sipping on a mug of coffee that smells criminally good.

“I’m sure Underhill can help you,” Alec says with a glare.

“Oh, but Stephen looks so… busy,” Magnus replies, eyeing warily the pyramids of paper clips and pens that is threatening to collapse at any moment. “I’m sure Paolo won’t mind sharing your knowledge with me.”

“Of course not!” Paolo replies. “The more the merrier, right?”

“Right,” Magnus says with a grin, touching Paolo’s arm lightly in gratitude.

“Right,” Alec grumbles under his breath.

Magnus sits on Alec’s desk, between him and Paolo, and Alec steals his coffee in retaliation, taking a long sip of it and glaring at Magnus when he opens his mouth to protest.

Magnus smirks instead, shrugging.

Alec takes another sip to hide the smile ghosting on his lips.

.

Magnus is reviewing the marketing strategy for their new products when a divine apparition shows up at the door of his department.

Paolo is wearing a white turtleneck that does wonders for his sun-kissed skin and Magnus wonders if he does it on purpose because surely he must know how devilishly handsome it makes him.

“Hi there,” Magnus all but purrs, work forgotten already.

“Hi,” Paolo replies. “I was wondering if I could ask for your help with something.”

Magnus hopes he needs help with getting rid of his clothes. He nods.

Paolo grins, stepping closer. “I need to get in touch with the Head of Branch Operations in Los Angeles, Lydia Branwell. Would you mind helping me with that? Just to make it more comfortable with her, I’ve been told you know her already.”

Magnus smiles, glancing quickly at his watch. “I’d love to, Paolo,” he says. He does love the way his name rolls on his tongue. “But it’s too early to call right now, I can stop by your office in the afternoon.”

“You’re amazing,” Paolo exclaims, his grin widening to show off his dimples. “Thank you, Magnus!”

Magnus opens the intranet chat on his computer as soon as Paolo is out.

_Ha! In your face, Lightwood!_

He can almost picture Alec’s face scrunched up in confusion.

_What?_

_Guess who’s got a hot date in Paolo’s office this afternoon? ;)_

_It’s not a hot date if it’s work related, Magnus,_ Alec replies. _It’s just doing your job. Which you should be doing right now instead of messaging me to taunt me and interrupt me while I’m actually doing mine._

 _Yeah, researching the rules of baseball is hard work,_ Magnus types back, smirking at his computer as if Alec could see him. _I’ll leave you to it._

He ponders for a moment on whether or not Alec is good enough to set up a virus on Magnus’ every electronic device. He should probably be worried, but taunting Alec is worth it, because winding him up if just too much fun.

 _… I hate you_ , Alec sends.

_As much as you hate baseball?_

_I hate you more._

Magnus snorts, before he remembers Alec is not here to see him, letting out a giggle instead.

“You should ask him out,” Raphael comments, deadpan. He isn’t even looking up from the budget he has been overseeing.

“I’m planning on it,” Magnus says. He can already picture it: Paolo, him, a rooftop in Manhattan and the sun setting over the skyline.

“Good,” Raphael replies. “You’re annoying when you have a crush.”

Magnus rolls his eyes, sends Alec another winky face back and closes the chat, grinning to himself.

.

Magnus checks his eyeliner in the mirror of the bathroom and takes a long look at himself, before electing on opening one more button. He walks out and strolls down the corridor that leads to the Branch Operations department, knocking on Paolo’s door before he pokes his head in.

“Hey,” he says when Paolo looks up at him, smiling, “ready to call Lydia?”

Paolo glances down, looking uncomfortable as he starts moving things around on his desk, an uneasy tension settling over his shoulders.

“You know what?” he says, chuckling awkwardly. “I think I’ll manage just fine on my own. I’m gonna need to do these phone calls a lot, so I should learn to do them alone. I don’t want to take away from your time for something that’s in my job duties.”

Magnus shakes his head. “Oh, it’s really no trouble. Mutual assistance between departments is very important here. Luke always insists on it.”

Paolo’s usually gorgeous smile is a bit stiff now. “No, really, I’ll be fine,” he insists. “I don’t want to put you in an uncomfortable situation.”

Magnus frowns in confusion, wondering if it’s Paolo’s way of turning him down gently. He really hopes Alec doesn’t hear about this.

“Okay,” he says, backing down. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

Paolo nods, and his smile is more genuine now. “Thank you, Magnus.”

Magnus stops by Maia’s office on his way back to his department, still baffled by what just happened. Did Paolo just reject his help like that? While Magnus is wearing _this_ shirt?

“Something really weird just happened,” he says distractedly as he sits on her desk.

Maia looks unbothered by his unannounced entrance, and she just holds out a cookie for him. “What happened?” she asks benevolently.

Magnus takes a bite and gazes down at her, brows pulled together in bewilderment. “Paolo came to ask me for my help this morning because he had to call Lydia in Los Angeles, yeah?” he explains. “And I just dropped by his office, but he changed his mind and said he didn’t want to make me uncomfortable? Why would I be uncomfortable?”

His confusion turns into full turmoil when Maia chuckles at his side, shaking her head.

“What?”

Maia chews on her bottom lip, patting his thigh with a sympathetic smile. “It might have to do with that new rumor that’s been going around.”

“What rumor?” Magnus asks, befuddled. He usually knows every rumor going around the company, because he’s friendly with Heidi from the front desk, and she’s usually the one spreading them.

Maia snorts and hands him another cookie. “The one about how you interrupted Lydia’s wedding and ran away with the groom.”

Magnus’ eyes widen in shock, lips parting as he tries to make sense of that.

And then realization dawns on him.

“The little shit,” he murmurs under his breath.

“You know, maybe there’s a reason why you two are trying to sabotage each other,” Maia points out offhandedly.

Of course there’s a reason: they both have eyes and have seen what Paolo looks like. Magnus hops off her desk. “I’m going to kill him.”

Maia heaves out a deep sigh at his back. “As Head of HR, I have to advise against that.”

“I’ll kill him outside of work so you don’t have to deal with the consequences,” Magnus offers.

“Thank you,” Maia replies, and lets him go.

Magnus barges into the IT department five minutes later, still fuming. Alec is standing by Underhill’s desk, looking over something. Magnus wonders for a second if they’re really working or if Underhill is just drawing him a baseball pitch to explain it to him.

“You,” Magnus hisses, narrowing his eyes on him.

Alec has the decency of looking slightly scared, hazel eyes widening like a deer in headlights.

“Hi, Magnus,” Underhill says cheerfully. “We’ve been seeing a lot of you lately.”

“Oh, and it’s just the beginning,” he whispers menacingly, walking up to Alec to point an accusatory finger at him.

Alec straightens up on his feet, towering over him with an unimpressed scowl.

“Hi, Magnus,” he says in an innocent tone that doesn’t fool him for a second.

He glances down at his finger poking at his chest, and back up at Magnus. “Can I help you with something?”

“Eloping with the groom?” Magnus seethes. “Really?”

Alec smirks, hazel eyes lighting up in mischief. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, voice low and hoarse.

Magnus tips his head back to glance right at him when he lifts an eyebrow. “I know it was you,” he says just as low.

He doesn’t think he is imagining the way Alec’s eyes roam down to the open collar of his shirt and the exposed skin of his chest before they drift back to Magnus’ own, utterly unapologetic.

“Still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Magnus pokes his chest for good measure –and perhaps a little for assessing purposes, because he didn’t know Alec worked out but he clearly does. “This isn’t over, Lightwood.”

Alec’s grin gets somehow broader. “I’ll be sure to remember that when I’m going on a date with Paolo this Thursday.”

Magnus huffs out and swirls on his heels, marching away with decided steps. He is still fuming when he passes by the front desk, teeth gritted in irritation.

“Everything okay, Magnus?” Heidi asks from her seat.

Magnus turns to her, a slow, malicious smirk curving his mouth up. “Oh, I just learned something that could be terrible publicity for the company.”

Heidi’s eyebrows shoot up in interest, and she leans in towards him. “What is it?”

.

A message pops up on Magnus’ intranet chat just an hour later.

_Idris Elba has a restraining order against me because I slept in the gutter outside of his house for five days? Really?_

_I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alexander._

_Fuck you, Bane._

.

_Alexander, why is everyone looking at me like I grew a second head? What did you do?_

_It’s about time people in this company knew your true colors, don’t you think?_

“He’s gonna lose it,” Alec comments out loud as he hits send, sniggering to himself, before focusing back on the report on cyber attacks he has to turn in by the end of the day.

A crumpled piece of paper lands right on his forehead and Alec startles, glancing at Underhill, who is staring pointedly at him from his desk.

“What?”

“Ask him out!” Underhill exclaims, sounding as desperate as Alec feels.

“I’m working on it,” he protests, tossing the paper ball back at him probably slightly more brutally than strictly necessary. “We’re going to see a game on Thursday!”

Underhill groans, dropping his head in his open hands. “Not Paolo, you dumbass,” he growls, the words muffled by his own palms.

Alec lifts an eyebrow at him, but ignores him. Sometimes, Underhill just doesn’t make sense.

When he looks back at his computer, three messages are waiting for him.

_DID YOU TELL PEOPLE I OWN AN APARTMENT IN MANHATTAN JUST FOR MY CATS?????_

_ALEXANDER????_

_(not gonna lie, this might have given me an idea)_

Alec laughs.

Another crumpled piece of paper hits him right on the nose.

.

The stadium is already buzzing with anticipation when Alec and Paolo find their seats a few days later. By now, Alec thinks he understands the game pretty well, but he made sure to tell Paolo to get the tickets on a Thirsty Thursday, because the beer is particularly cheap and the hotdogs cheaper. If Alec is going to suffer through an entire baseball game, at least he’s going to do it while pleasantly buzzed and eating junk food.

There is a nerve-wrecking tension floating above the crowd and it is overall pretty intense, but Alec finds that he doesn’t mind too much. There is something warm and deeply entertaining about it.

“So, how are you liking New York?” Alec asks as they finally take their seats. Underhill didn’t warn him that he is way too tall for the tiny seats but he supposes it’s part of the charm.

Paolo turns to him and smiles. “I love it,” he says. “And everyone at the Institute made me feel very welcome, I was a bit worried that people wouldn’t like me at first but everyone has been great.”

Alec doesn’t think people who look like Paolo have to worry too much about things like that. Especially because he’s also incredibly nice and shares his infectious smile with everyone around him.

“Excuse me, I’m sitting right here.”

Alec freezes at the familiar voice, and his mouth drops open in shock when he sees Magnus making his way towards them, careful not to step on anyone’s feet.

“What the hell,” Alec whispers under his breath.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you!” Paolo says with another one of his infectious smiles. Alec can’t help but to smile back, although he probably looks like a sociopath with murderous tendencies. It isn’t far from the truth. “I told Magnus we were going to see a game and he told me he’s never seen one and he’d love to learn the rules so I invited him too!”

“Great,” Alec grits out through clenched teeth. “Brilliant.”

Magnus stops right in front of them with a jubilant beam on his lips and Alec wonders what would happen if a ball were to accidentally hit him on the head.

“Paolo! Alexander!” he greets them joyfully.

Alec glares in lieu of an answer, taking in Magnus’ outfit. He is wearing a Yankees jersey that somehow doesn’t look ridiculous on him, fitting tightly around his shoulders but looser around his waist and biceps, over a plain white t-shirt and a pair of dark skinny jeans ripped at the knees. Necklaces are flooding over his chest, and a dark blue strand of hair falling down his forehead is finishing his look. Magnus has a way of dressing up casually and yet making everyone around him feel underdressed, it is quite impressive.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Magnus tells them as he takes the seat on Paolo’s other side. “I had to elbow my way through the crowd downstairs.”

“Did you stop by the shop to get some Skittles?” Alec asks with a smirk.

So maybe Alec spread a rumor earlier this week that Magnus has eccentric tastes and that he makes his interns sort through Skittles bags for him because he only wants to eat the purple ones, sue him.

Magnus throws him a lethal smile, and reaches behind Paolo’s back to pinch the sensitive skin of Alec’s neck, who muffles a pained moan by taking a sip of his beer and reaches behind him to grab Magnus’ hand and pinch him back.

They let go of each other when the commentator announces that the national anthem is about to be sung and they leap to their feet, following Paolo’s lead.

The first three innings are quite probably the longest minutes of Alec’s entire life. Paolo is completely focused on the game, cheering with the crowd and sometimes leaning towards Magnus to explain him the rules, while Alec has to pretend to be equally excited because he is supposed to know these rules. That will teach him to lie to a pretty face.

Thankfully, there is cheap beer, and from the rate Magnus and he are downing them, he thinks Magnus is probably just as bored as Alec is.

Paolo hops off his seat after the third inning. “I’m gonna go get us some hot dogs,” he says. “They’re on me, to thank you for being so welcoming since I moved here.”

Alec smiles at him, hoping it looks grateful rather than utterly dull and waits until Paolo has disappeared inside the stadium to lean over his seat towards Magnus.

“Really, Magnus?” he hisses.

“I’m learning _so_ much,” Magnus replies. “Like how revenge really is a dish best served cold and all that.”

Alec rolls his eyes. “I hate you.”

The crowd seems to turn in the same movement. Suddenly thousands of eyes are on him and Alec freezes, wondering if he’s unknowingly wearing a mic and they’re all staring at him to call him out on his lie. Then, Magnus laughs and Alec follows his gaze to find his own bewildered face on the jumbotron screens, and the equally surprised look of the woman sitting on his other side, the words ‘kiss cam’ written in big bold pink letters at the bottom.

Clearly, karma is after Alec for some inane reason.

Alec casts a desperate look at his neighbor, a petite blonde woman who is glancing up and down at him with eyes that say she is actually considering kissing him in front of the crowd.

Alec shakes his head adamantly, turning back to the screen.

“I’m gay!” he all but shouts, as if the cameramen could hear him.

Magnus is cackling at his side, head thrown back and hand over his stomach and Alec turns to glare at him. Then, the camera shifts to the side, putting them both into the shot instead.

“Oh, fuck,” Magnus breathes out, laughter dying on his lips.

An amused chuckle runs over the crowd, and Alec waits stubbornly for the camera to drive away from them, but it stays on them, unyielding.

It starts as a murmur around Alec, but soon enough the whole stadium is chanting, urging them to kiss.

Alec can feel his cheeks burning, and Magnus has most definitely stopped laughing, lips parted in shock.

Alec looks back at him, hesitation undoubtedly plain on his features. Magnus recovers, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

He opens his mouth to speak, certainly to tease Alec some more, but Alec doesn’t let him, reaching out to grab the lapel of his jersey and pull him forward, smashing their mouths together.

The crowd cheers loudly, but Alec doesn’t hear anything but Magnus’ sharp intake of breath against his lips and the surprised noise he makes at the back of his throat. Magnus’ lips move hesitantly against his own, and Alec parts his mouth to deepen the kiss, his heart slamming against his ribcage.

Magnus moans, pressing closer despite the seat separating them, his hand settling against Alec’s jaw, fingertips playing with the small hairs at the back of his neck.

His lips are soft against Alec’s but equally demanding, and Alec surrenders without much of a fight, his hold tightening on Magnus’ jersey. His ears are ringing and his fingers twitching when his free hand slips under the jacket to grab Magnus’ waist, feeling the warm skin beneath his t-shirt.

The crowd roars again, bringing him back to reality and Alec pulls back, opening his eyes just in time to catch Magnus chasing after his lips before he opens his own.

The cameras aren’t on them anymore, and the crowd cheers for another couple, but Alec barely notices the world around him. He pants against Magnus’ parted lips, red and shiny from their kiss; and his stomach lurches with the searing, commanding need to kiss them again.

Maybe he doesn’t like Paolo that much, after all.

Magnus’ fingers brush over the skin of his neck, causing the small hairs there to stand instinctively as he draws back, blinking bewilderedly. Alec clears his throat and straightens up on his seat, releasing a shaky breath.

“What’d I miss?” Paolo asks when he joins them two minutes later.

 _A pretty fucking big revelation,_ Alec wants to say.

“Nothing,” he and Magnus say in the same voice instead.

Alec casts a look at him, finding Magnus already staring at him, amber eyes wide and gleaming and utterly breathtaking, and he quickly looks away.

Paolo shrugs, resuming his seat between them and handing them both a hotdog.

Alec licks his lips absently, tasting the ghost of Magnus’ against them.

He and Magnus don’t talk to each other for the next two hours that the game lasts, and Alec doesn’t bother in pretending he is remotely interested. Clearly, the rummaging of his heart isn’t due to the excitement of the game, or even Paolo’s gorgeous grin when the Yankees win.

It is all Magnus, Alec realizes, breathing stuttering past his still tingling lips.

He’s screwed.

.

Magnus is doodling on his desk calendar the next day when Raphael and Maia plant themselves in front of him, arms crossed over their chests and matching eyebrows raised in inquiry.

“What?” he grumbles, not bothering to glance up from his sketch of Chairman Meow. Or at least what Chairman Meow would look like if Magnus had a mental breakdown and decided to dye him red. It was the first pen he grabbed.

“You didn’t start a rumor about Alec today,” Maia states.

“It was your turn after he told everyone that you were the founder and president of Nickelback’s fanclub,” Raphael adds for good measure.

Magnus hums absently, scribbling over his sketch of his cat. “I’ll get him back next week.”

Maia takes the pen from his hand, forcing him to look at them when he tries to grab it back. “Babe, what’s wrong?” she asks.

Magnus heaves out a deep sigh, shaking his head. “Nothing’s wrong,” he says. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Come on,” she says, sitting on the armrest of his chair and wrapping an arm over his shoulders, “it’s Friday night. Let’s get drunk.”

Magnus frowns, glancing at the clock on his computer. It’s already almost six, and he didn’t get any work done today. Luke is going to fire him and then he can say goodbye to that apartment in Manhattan for his cats.

“I finished your assignment for you an hour ago,” Raphael says, in a flat tone that doesn’t carry the true weight of the favor he just rendered Magnus. “Buy me a cocktail and we’re even.”

Magnus sighs, but can’t help but smile. “I love you guys.”

“We love you too,” Maia says, leaping to her feet. “Now come on.”

Magnus grabs his jacket, his keys and his phone and follows after them, banishing away all thoughts of baseball games and kiss cams.

.

The Hunter’s Moon is packed when they get there, but Gretel –bless her heart– made sure their table is free. Alec, Underhill, Paolo and Simon are already there, and Magnus spots Luke and Meliorn by the pool table, and he contemplates fleeing to join them for a second, but Maia grabs his arms and drags him toward the table, ignoring his whisper of protest. Magnus chooses to believe she didn’t hear him over the music, because he can’t fathom that she would betray his friendship like that.

Alec is sitting next to Paolo, leaning towards him as they speak in ushered voices, smiling at each other like they are stuck in their very own world of gorgeous people who belong together and Magnus’ stomach twists painfully at the sight, but it quickly vanishes when Paolo sees them approaching and leans back, sending them a warm grin.

“Hey!” he exclaims. “Alec and I were just talking about the game last night.”

Magnus’ lips jump with staged enthusiasm. “Yeah, thank you again for teaching me the basics,” he says. “I had a great time.”

“So did Alec,” Underhill sniggers, before he chokes on his drink, a pained complaint slipping through his lips. He reaches under the table to rub his shin with a grimace.

Magnus doesn’t question it, watching powerlessly as Maia and Raphael take the seats that are left, leaving no room for him but the tiny space next to Alec on the booth.

Magnus heaves out a defeated sigh, and drops down next to him. Alec stills for a second, and then scoots closer to Simon to make room for Magnus, resting his arm on the back of the booth behind him.

A long shiver runs down Magnus’ spine when he leans back and feels Alec’s fingers brushing against his shoulder, but he ignores it and the fact that Alec doesn’t even attempt to move his hand.

Conversations quickly resume around them, and Magnus finds himself unwinding progressively, sipping his scotch and laughing as Simon tells them about the disastrous gig he gave with his band two days ago in a bar where the patrons were completely drunk and kept requesting Britney Spears’ covers.

Magnus catches the way Maia is looking at him, eyes shining with fondness and a little something more, a little something that changes everything. It makes him long for the same thing, and as he glances back at Paolo, he isn’t really surprised to find this little something is just... absent. Paolo is kind and smart albeit oblivious, and so goddamn gorgeous, but there is nothing truly exciting about him, nothing that would make Magnus wait, filled with anticipation, for his next move.

Alec’s fingers brush against Magnus’ biceps as he adjusts his position to get more comfortable, and Magnus curses inwardly.

This is just typical.

He wonders if Alec is aware of what their close proximity is doing to him, how his skin feels warm where Alec’s fingers are hovering, how his breath catches in his lungs every time the touch is a little bit more pronounced, a little bit less unconscious. The answer seems obvious when Alec’s thumb maps a faint, gentle but deliberate circle against Magnus’ shoulder, sending his whole world off its axis with a simple touch.

Magnus downs the rest of his scotch quickly and leaps out of his seat, motioning toward the bathroom when Maia sends him an inquiring glance. He forces himself not to run there, unwilling to catch unwarranted attention on him. Inside, he takes a long, staggered breath and leans against the wall, staring at the ceiling as if it personally offended him.

He shuts his eyes for a moment, letting his heartbeats slow down and tune themselves to the slow and muffled rhythm of the song playing in the bar.

He tries to picture Paolo’s green eyes shimmering under the lights pouring through the wide windows and his warm grin that has become so familiar in the past few weeks, but his traitorous mind provides hazel instead, and a lopsided smile that makes his skin tickle with the promise of a challenge.

“Fuck,” he murmurs to himself.

Bracing himself with a deep breath, he washes his hands and wipes them dry before stepping out, heading straight to the exit. He’ll text Maia to ask her to make up an excuse for him and bring him his jacket on Monday. Right now, he needs to get out of here and go home to cuddle with his cat.

“Magnus!” a familiar voice calls at his back when he stops on the sidewalk, craning his neck for a taxi.

He curses again, pointedly ignoring it and walks away, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“Magnus!”

A strong hand closes around his biceps, stopping him abruptly, and Magnus swirls around to face Alec.

“Are you going to ignore me forever?” Alec blurts out, his voice wavering between anger and dejection.

Magnus shakes his head stubbornly. “I’m not ignoring you.”

Alec snorts but it isn’t amused; derisive instead. “Well, it sure feels like you are.”

Magnus slips his arm out of Alec’s grip, gazing away from his wide, questioning eyes. “I’m just not feeling great, I’m gonna go home early this week.”

“Magnus,” Alec whispers, almost pleading.

“Hey, at least I won’t be there to cockblock you tonight,” he tries, forcing a teasing smile on his lips. “You should go back in there and take the opportunity to ask Paolo out properly.”

He goes to step away, but Alec grabs his arm again, tugging him closer.

“You’re really fucking annoying, you know that?” he growls.

Magnus scoffs out a humorless laugh. “Why, thank you Alec,” he grits out. “You’re not exactly the most charming person yourself. I hope you’re not gonna use that line on Paolo because–”

Alec shuts him off with an irritated groan. “Oh my God,” he exclaims, slipping a hand at the back of Magnus’ neck, his thumb skimming delicately over the hem of his ear. “I don’t give a fuck about Paolo.”

Then, his lips are covering Magnus’, and Magnus’ hands shoot up to hold on to his waist almost immediately when his legs buckle. Alec pushes into him, and Magnus takes a step back without ever parting away from him, until there is nowhere to go and Alec presses him against the wall, parting his lips to glide his tongue against Magnus’ bottom lip.

Magnus gasps quietly, his hand sliding under Alec’s t-shirt on its own accord, feeling the warm skin and the hard muscles of his back under his fingertips. Alec moans when Magnus’ nails dig into his back, and his lips drift away from his own to scatter burning kisses against his jaw instead, and further down his neck.

Magnus’ head drops against the wall, the fingers of his free hand tangling in Alec’s messy hair. He tightens his hold, biting his lip when Alec moans against his pulse point, and uses it to pull him back against his mouth, nipping at Alec’s bottom lip to coerce another moan from him.

Alec indulges him, kissing him deeper, and Magnus’ whole body feels stuck in an inferno, his mind swirling with an overflow of staggering emotions.

Chasing Paolo is easy, because there is nothing more behind it than harmless play.

Alec is different, because Alec is everything. Alec is the highest high and the lowest low, the intoxicating passion that takes over his soul to unite them together in something unique, so utterly singular that it tastes like freedom.

And freedom can be terrifying, when one does not know what to do with it.

Magnus pulls back abruptly, panting heavily against Alec’s mouth. His eyes are still closed, his full lips swollen and glossy from Magnus’ chapstick.

A smile lingers on his lips, and Magnus hates himself for being the one to make it disappear. But he doesn’t think he can do this, being someone’s second choice when he can feel his heart ready to give his all. Not again.

“I have to go,” he murmurs, leaving no room for negotiation.

Alec’s eyes flutter open. “What?”

His voice is hoarse from their kiss but coated with confusion, which perhaps explains why he doesn’t resist when Magnus gently pushes him away.

“I’ll see you on Monday, Alec,” Magnus murmurs, and steps away before he can try to stop him. “I’m sorry.”

“Magnus!” Alec calls, but Magnus ignores him and walks faster, jaw flexed with determination. “Magnus!”

His cries lose themselves in the wind as Magnus turns around the corner, raising his arm to call for a taxi that thankfully halts right in front of him.

The kind of freedom Alec represents is something obscure and foreign, a little something more that Magnus can’t bring himself to pursue if he has to head there alone.

Magnus wouldn’t know what to do with freedom if he found it.

.

“So, who died and appointed you Mayor of Moping Town?”

Alec rolls his eyes and snuggles further into his couch, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m not moping, Iz,” he growls at his little sister.

Isabelle lifts an eyebrow from where she is standing over him, hands on her hips, and reaches out to poke his cheek. “You’re watching the Lion King and eating tacos at four in the afternoon,” she argues. “You’re moping.”

“I had a long week at work,” he tries, whacking her hand away when she pokes his cheek again.

“Bullshit.” Isabelle drops down next to him, punching his shoulder. Alec will forever regret giving her his spare key. “Does it have anything to do with that guy you made out with at the baseball game?”

Alec’s eyes widen in stupor, his head whipping to the side.

Isabelle smirks. “It was a televised event, Alec,” she informs him. “Jace was watching the game and he texted me to ask, I quote, ‘why the fuck is our brother at a baseball game even though he thinks it’s the most boring sport in existence and why the fuck is he sucking face with a really hot guy? Go him, though, I hope he scores’. Obviously, I had to watch the replay to witness this. So, did you score?”

Alec used to love his siblings. When they were under two and didn’t talk.

He heaves out a deep sigh, staring up at the ceiling. “I didn’t score, his name is Magnus and we kinda made out again two days ago but then he just left and he hasn’t answered any of my texts or calls since.”

“So now you’re moping,” Isabelle states.

“I guess,” Alec replies begrudgingly with an eyeroll.

“Okay, spill,” she says, laying her head on his shoulder and grabbing the remote to turn down the volume.

So Alec does, sparing but only the details of his heart rummaging in his chest every time he hears Magnus’ voice, or even the sound of the intranet chat signaling a new message, and how he hopes every time that it will be Magnus reacting to a stupid rumor Alec expressly told Heidi not to spread.

He doesn’t think he needs to tell her, though, because by the look on Isabelle’s face when he is done, she knows.

Isabelle shakes her head, looking quite desolated on his behalf. “I have met dead people smarter than you, Alec,” she says. “And I’m a forensic pathologist so that’s saying a lot.”

“Thanks, Iz,” Alec deadpans. “I feel much better now.”

“It all started because of stupid Paolo. Who I’d love to meet if I didn’t have Clary, by the way,” Isabelle says with a smirk. “Magnus probably thinks you only went to him because it wasn’t working out with Paolo.”

“What? No!” Alec exclaims. “I told him I didn’t give a fuck about Paolo! I like _him_. Magnus. I realized that the moment we kissed.”

Isabelle shrugs. “All he’s seen is you fighting him to get in Paolo’s pants,” she opines. “Magnus probably doesn’t know you like _him_. You should tell him.”

“I tried,” Alec complains, holding up his phone as if it is enough proof. “He isn’t answering.”

“You’ll probably see him tomorrow at work anyway,” Isabelle says.

“Yeah,” Alec sighs. “We have that stupid department meeting with Luke.”

“It’s a start,” Isabelle says, twirling a strand of his hair between her fingers absently. “You’ll figure something out, big brother. It sounds like Magnus likes you back but doesn’t know just how much you do. You should make sure he does. Start a rumor about your undying love for him or something.”

Alec perks up from where he was slouching on the couch, Isabelle’s fingers falling from his head and on the couch as he straightens up.

“That’s it!” he exclaims, and then leans in to drop a kiss on her forehead. “You’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Isabelle replies, discarding him with a theatrical flourish of her fingers. Her gaze focuses back on the TV, but Alec isn’t listening anymore. “Oh, it’s Hakuna Matata!”

.

_Why did you send Raphael instead of you to the meeting?_

_Magnus, come on._

_Please talk to me._

Magnus shuts his eyes, rubbing his fingers along the bridge of his nose, urging his headache away. He takes a long sip of his coffee and sinks deeper in his chair, hoping it will swallow him whole and let him forget how absolutely foolish he’s been. How absolutely foolish he has always been when it comes to giving away his heart. He forces himself not to think about Alec being different and closes the chat window on his computer, sighing.

When the door of the office opens, he almost expects Alec to be barging in, demanding an explanation Magnus knows he owes him. It is Maia instead, his jacket in one hand and a box of Jacques Torres chocolates in the other. Some day, Magnus will have to tell her that she needs to stop overfeeding him, but that won’t be today because he plucks a chocolate out as soon as she is close enough. Some day, sooner rather than later, Magnus will also tell her how grateful he is for what a great friend she is.

“Why weren't you at the meeting?” she asks.

Magnus shrugs. “Had to catch up on some work so I sent Raphael instead.”

Maia reaches out to flick his forehead. “Don’t lie to me. Alec looked like someone kicked his puppy when Raphael walked in and he realized you weren’t coming.”

“He doesn’t have a puppy,” Magnus grumbles half-heartedly.

Which is probably a good thing, Magnus ponders to himself, because Alec is already adorable but Alec with a puppy would probably end him.

She rolls her eyes and throws a chocolate in the air, catching it in her open mouth as it comes down. “And he looked just as devastated after you left on Friday,” she points out as she chews and although she tries to make it sound innocent, Magnus knows it is anything but.

“We kissed,” he admits reluctantly. “Twice. And this whole thing with Paolo made me realize I like him, like really like him, but I don’t want to be his second choice. I’ve done it before and I always end up alone and heartbroken, so I’m not doing it again.”

He realizes he feels better as soon as the words are out, and he figures he probably should have told her sooner, or Catarina when she came over for dinner the night before, but Magnus has a habit of hiding behind the walls he erected around his heart to protect it when danger looms around it, and he sometimes forgets he doesn’t need to hold them up around them.

“Babe, Alec likes you,” Maia tells him, laying a hand on his shoulder and rubbing her thumb over it soothingly. It reminds Magnus too much of Alec’s fingers brushing over the same spot on Friday night and how this simple touch was enough to set Magnus’ skin on fire, but he doesn’t push her away, welcoming the comfort it brings instead. “Not Paolo. I’m pretty sure if anyone is a second choice, it’d be Paolo, not you.”

Magnus shakes his head. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“What?” she scoffs out, curving an eyebrow. “That anyone would pick you? You’re one of the best people I know, Magnus, and I’m not only talking about your ravishing good looks.”

Magnus huffs out a quiet laugh, his lips jumping with a smile. “You’re my friend, you’re biased.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m wrong,” she retorts, shrugging. “It’d still be right even if I were contractually obligated to say that. You deserve to be happy, Magnus. Alec likes you. You like Alec. You two should go on a date and get married and probably call your first-born Paolo.”

Magnus truly laughs this time, and reaches out to pluck a chocolate out of the box. “Enough of this,” he says, giving her a pointed look when she goes to protest. She indulges him reluctantly. “How about you and Simon?”

An almost shy, incredibly soft smile creeps on her lips. “Maybe we kissed, and maybe it was amazing,” she says offhandedly. “And maybe we’re going on a date tonight.”

Magnus isn’t fooled, the flicker of happiness dancing in her gaze enough to make all the maybes in the world crumble.

There are two more messages waiting for him on the intranet chat when Maia leaves.

_Magnus?_

_… Fine._

.

When Magnus walks in the Institute the next day, a weird feeling settles in his stomach. Heidi is staring at him with something like admiration glowing in her eyes, and Magnus simply smiles in return, wondering what is going on.

He makes his way to his office and switches the coffee machine on, before he swirls around to find Raphael and Maureen, their marketing assistant, both staring at him from behind their desks. There is a smile playing on Raphael’s lips that tells him he is thoroughly enjoying this.

“What the fuck is going on?” Magnus snaps, because he hasn’t had his first coffee yet. “Why is everyone staring at me?”

“How is she?” Maureen asks, as if it makes complete sense.

It does nothing to tame Magnus’ confusion. “How is who?”

“The Queen!” Maureen exclaims excitedly. “Elizabeth! How is she?”

Magnus blinks in stupor, and his gaze finds Raphael’s, pleading for an explanation.

Raphael smirks, leaning back into his chair. “There’s a new rumor going around.”

Magnus goes still, breath hitching in his breath. Hasn’t Alec realized that there is no need for that anymore and that he can have Paolo all to himself? Is it his way to get back at Magnus for his silence? Whatever kind of game he thinks he is playing, Magnus wants no part in it.

“Oh.”

He pours himself a coffee, forgoing his usual sugar to take it black instead. He needs the bitterness.

“Apparently, you’re so charming that when you met the Queen, she was the one who ended up bowing to you.”

Magnus chokes on his coffee, his eyes widening as he glances bewilderedly at Raphael, who simply shrugs in answer.

“Talk to him,” he says.

Magnus shakes his head, sitting down behind his desk. “We have work to do.”

.

The next day, it is Heidi who confronts him directly when he comes in.

“Do people consider you like a God or something?”

Magnus frowns in confusion. “What?”

“I can’t tell you my source but I’ve been told that you are so beautiful that there have been shrines erected in your honor,” she explains. “So, do people, like, worship you or something? How do I get people to do that for me? Magnus?”

Magnus’ cheeks burn, a blush spreading all the way to the tip of his ears. He swirls around and rushes to his office.

.

On Wednesday, Magnus isn’t sure what to expect.

Heidi doesn’t say anything to him when he walks in, and Raphael and Maureen are not staring at him. It isn’t before noon as he is making his way to Maia’s office to get lunch with her that he hears the rumor of the day.

It comes from two interns he doesn’t know the names of, chatting by the elevator blissfully unaware of Magnus hearing them from the threshold of Maia’s office.

“I told you, I heard that he once saved a baby seal from drowning!”

“Magnus is such a hero,” they coo.

“I know,” the first one sighs. “He can save _me_ from drowning any time.”

Magnus snorts, turning to Maia, who is watching him with a smirk, arms crossed over her chest.

“Saving a baby seal from drowning?” he says dubiously, although he finds it hard to hide the smile that is threatening to take over his features. “Is that truly the best he can do?”

Maia rolls her eyes and reaches out to grab his arm.

He tells himself maybe he was wrong and that his insecurities got the best of him, but on Wednesday, Magnus also catches sight of Alec and Paolo in the lobby on his way back from lunch, leaning towards each other, and his hopes shatter alongside his heart. He shakes his head at himself, disappointed but utterly unsurprised.

.

On the next Thursday, exactly two weeks after the baseball game, things take a turn Magnus didn’t expect.

Alec spread a new rumor about him every day without fail for over a week, and if that’s where the imperceptible bounce in Magnus’ steps is coming from, no one can prove it. Despite it all, there is still a voice in the back of his mind telling him that it doesn’t mean anything, that none of this is for him, and although the voice sounds frighteningly similar to his abusive stepfather’s or his toxic ex-girlfriend Camille’s, Magnus finds it hard to ignore it completely. He has come to wait for each rumor every day nonetheless, anticipating the new ways in which Alec manages to surprise him and make him laugh despite himself. It doesn’t have to mean anything, Magnus reminds himself daily. It is just some harmless fun.

It’s early afternoon, and Magnus is checking song lyrics on Google after Maia told him the rumor of the day is that ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ by Alicia Keys was written in Magnus’ honor when a knock on his office door pulls him out of his thoughts.

He’s alone in the office, Raphael being off for the day and Maureen on her lunch break, but Paolo still peers around the room before his eyes settle on Magnus.

“Hey, Magnus. Can I talk to you for a second?”

Magnus nods, motioning for him to come in.

Paolo shuffles on his feet for a second, a light blush coloring his high cheekbones. He looks nervously around himself as if he’s worried that someone might be eavesdropping. Considering how quickly the grapevine works in this company, Magnus can’t exactly blame him.

“I want to ask you something,” Paolo says eventually, sounding somehow both timid and hesitant. “And I know it’s gonna sound weird but I thought I’d talk to you about it before I ask Alec.”

Magnus freezes, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. Is Paolo truly here asking for his blessing? As if Magnus has any word in either of their private lives?

His breath catches in his lungs, but he forces himself to smile at Paolo, “What is it?”

“Do you know if Stephen is single?” Paolo blurts out, and Magnus blinks in surprise. “I would ask Alec but he’s his best friend so I’m not sure I can trust him to keep his mouth shut but I would really, really like to ask him out and–”

“Aren’t you–” Magnus interrupts, raising a hand to stop him, lips parted in shock, “aren’t you interested in Alec?”

There is something Magnus can’t quite fathom about the possibility of anyone not being into Alec and his beautiful hazel eyes and stupid grins that make him look so young and innocent and stupid smirks that make him look the exact opposite.

Paolo’s green eyes widen and he slams a hand over his chest, blushing furiously. “What? No!” he exclaims, sounding almost offended. “I would never go after a taken man!”

“A taken–” Magnus murmurs under his breath, but the words die on his lips. Has Alec already moved on? Did he find himself a boyfriend in the two weeks that have gone since they last kissed? Magnus can’t say he is exactly surprised that Alec would find a rebound so easily, but his heart stutters painfully in his chest nonetheless.

“And I mean,” Paolo continues, oblivious to Magnus’ internal turmoil, “I’ve seen the way he looks at you,” he adds with a chuckle. “Alec would never cheat on you.”

_What?_

“What?” Magnus asks lowly, too shocked to raise his voice and properly convey his astonishment.

“I actually wanted to ask you how long you’ve been together,” Paolo says with one of his warm grins. “You two are such an adorable couple.”

Magnus shakes his head, blinking at Paolo, too baffled to form coherent words. “What?”

“You and Alec,” Paolo says, looking slightly taken aback by Magnus’ lack of cooperation, “how long have you been together?”

“We’re not,” Magnus finally manages to breathe out. “I thought you two… last week, I saw you two in the lobby and you were really close so I thought...”

Paolo’s eyes widen in pure and genuine shock. “He was trying to tell me how you once made an entire room faint just by walking by wearing that red jacket you had on last Tuesday?” He pauses to rub a hand over his clean-shaven jawline. “I can’t believe you’re not together. He talks about you all the time and with the way you were acting with me, I thought you two were just jealous boyfriends, you know?” Then he takes a long look at Magnus, and throws his hands up in the air. “Seriously, what the hell are you waiting for? ”

Oh.

_Oh._

Magnus licks his lips, inhales sharply and looks up at Paolo. He truly is beautiful, but Magnus couldn’t care less.

“If I answer you about Stephen, can you tell Heidi something for me?”

Paolo grins.

.

“Have you tried turning your computer off and on again?” Alec sighs on the phone.

He really hates his job sometimes.

He waits for a minute, and rolls his eyes when his interlocutor emits a triumphant shout.

“You too, Jia,” he grumbles before hanging up, casting a desperate look at Underhill. “Why does she always do that? How hard is it to try turning it off and on _before_ calling us and saying the whole thing is broken?”

“You usually don’t mind,” Underhill says. “You’re just grumpy because Magnus is still ignoring your silly rumors.”

Alec heaves out a deep sigh, dropping his chin in his palm. “Do you think I should get him flowers?”

“You’re allergic to flowers,” Underhill remarks.

Alec opens a window on his computer. “I can get them delivered.”

He is just about to type something along the lines of ‘how to tell your crush you’re crushing on him and not the new colleague even though he’s hot but not as hot as your crush with flowers’ when a notification pops up from the intranet chat, Magnus’ name flashing on his screen.

Alec’s eyes widen, anticipation squirming in his stomach. Maybe Magnus is asking him to stop spreading rumors about him and threatening to get a restraining order against him. Alec did wonder if he was going too far when he told Heidi that Magnus’ butt was insured for a million dollars.

He’s been running out of inspiration.

“Magnus just messaged me,” he murmurs.

Underhill’s head jerks up to him. “What did he say?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t opened it.”

Alec catches the crumpled piece of paper before it can land on his face.

“Open it!” Underhill yells, exasperated.

Alec braces himself with a deep breath, and clicks on Magnus’ name flickering obnoxiously at the bottom of his screen.

_Have you heard the latest rumor?_

Alec frowns, sending Underhill a questioning look.

“What’s the latest rumor?” he asks.

Underhill shrugs. Alec tosses the paper ball right back at him, smiling insolently when it lands in Underhill’s coffee cup and grabs the phone to dial Simon’s office.

He picks up on the second ring.

“I was just about to call you!” Simon exclaims. “Is it true that your eyebrow scar is fake and that you shave it every morning to pretend you’re a bad boy?”

Alec bursts into laughter, a weight lifting off his shoulders at once.

He sticks the phone between his shoulder and his ear and types back an answer. “No, Simon, it’s not true.”

_Do you like bad boys?_

He hopes it made Magnus smile.

 _Not really,_ comes a second later.

 _Thank God,_ Alec replies.

 _I also hate baseball,_ Magnus sends a minute later.

Alec chews on his bottom lip. Perhaps he is half in love already.

_I’m starting to think you might be perfect. I hear you also saved a baby seal’s life._

_I couldn’t let the poor thing drown now, could I?_

_How many of these do you have anyway?_ Magnus asks.

 _I’ve got a notebook full of them,_ Alec types back without shame, even though it isn’t entirely true. It’s more a few post-it notes scattered across his desk. _I hope you like the one I just came up with for tomorrow._

He can feel the grin on his features and he knows Underhill is shaking his head in amusement, and that Simon is all but shouting on the phone to ask for an update, but Alec can’t truly bring himself to care.

 _Can’t wait to hear it,_ Magnus says.

Alec heaves out a deep, relieved sigh.

.

Magnus grins at Heidi when he walks in the next morning, expecting her to share a new rumor but she just smirks at him and doesn’t say a word.

Confused, Magnus makes his way to his office, running into Maia and Simon holding hands in the corridor.

“Check your emails,” she simply tells him.

Magnus nods somewhat astonishingly, and turns his computer on, ignoring Raphael and Maureen’s prying gazes following his every move.

There are a few emails waiting for him, from customers and colleagues but it is the subject of Luke’s email that catches his attention the most. He opens it first.

From: [ luciangarroway@theinstitute.com ](mailto:lukegarroway@theinstitute.com)

To: [ magnusbane@theinstitute.com ](mailto:magnusbane@theinstitute.com) ; [ alexanderlightwood@theinstitute.com ](mailto:aleclightwood@theinstitute.com) ; [ paoloceballos@theinstitute.com ](mailto:paoloceballos@theinstitute.com) ; [ maiaroberts@theinstitute.com ](mailto:maiaroberts@theinstitute.com); and 17 more.

Subject: y’all are exhausting

“Dear all,

If Magnus could just say yes to Alec so we can all get back to work, that’d be great.

Kind regards,

Luke Garroway.

CEO of the Institute and very tired boss.”

Magnus looks up at Raphael, lifting an eyebrow in inquiry.

“Rumor has it Alec is asking you on a date tomorrow night at seven,” he explains. “To his sister’s girlfriend’s art exhibition’s private viewing.”

Magnus chews on his bottom lip, unable to conceal the smile that is slowly taking over his features.

.

From: [ magnusbane@theinstitute.com ](mailto:magnusbane@theinstitute.com)

To: [ luciangarroway@theinstitute.com ](mailto:luciangarroway@theinstitute.com) ; [ alexanderlightwood@theinstitute.com ](mailto:alexanderlightwood@theinstitute.com) ; [ paoloceballos@theinstitute.com ](mailto:paoloceballos@theinstitute.com) ; [ maiaroberts@theinstitute.com ](mailto:maiaroberts@theinstitute.com); and 17 more.

Subject: you love us though

“Beloved boss, esteemed colleagues, and handsomer version of Batman,

I’m saying yes.

And did you all know that Alec once asked a guy out on a date through the grapevine even though said guy kicked his ass at pool?

Sincerely,

Magnus Bane.

Head of Marketing, The Institute, and really smitten.”

.

From: [ alexanderlightwood@theinstitute.com ](mailto:alexanderlightwood@theinstitute.com)

To: [ magnusbane@theinstitute.com ](mailto:magnusbane@theinstitute.com) ; [ luciangarroway@theinstitute.com ](mailto:luciangarroway@theinstitute.com) ; [ paoloceballos@theinstitute.com ](mailto:paoloceballos@theinstitute.com) ; [ maiaroberts@theinstitute.com ](mailto:maiaroberts@theinstitute.com); and 17 more.

Subject: I’ll pick you up at 6

“Esteemed boss, partly beloved colleagues, and resident master of drunken karaoke,

What a nerd.

I hear the guy was worth it, though, and you can quote me on that.

Respectfully yours,

Alec Lightwood.

Head of IT, The Institute, and totally infatuated.”

.

From: [ luciangarroway@theinstitute.com ](mailto:lukegarroway@theinstitute.com)

To: [ alexanderlightwood@theinstitute.com ](mailto:aleclightwood@theinstitute.com) ; [ magnusbane@theinstitute.com ](mailto:magnusbane@theinstitute.com) ;   [ paoloceballos@theinstitute.com ](mailto:paoloceballos@theinstitute.com) ; [ maiaroberts@theinstitute.com ](mailto:maiaroberts@theinstitute.com); and 17 more.

Subject: good

“Alec, Magnus and everyone else lurking on this conversation (I can hear you cheering from my office),

Get back to work now before I fire your weirdly romantic asses.

Luke Garroway.

CEO of the Institute and very tired boss.”

.

Magnus is propped over the bar at the Hunter’s Moon to order a drink over the loud music when he feels a hand brush against his waist. His body reacts automatically, leaning into the touch before he turns to face Alec.

“Hey,” he says softly.

It has been a while since they were so close, and Magnus takes a moment to gaze into his eyes, the hazel shining under the neon lights hanging over the bar, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his flushed cheeks.

“Hey yourself,” Alec replies in that low undertone of his that has Magnus’ toes curling and his whole body shifting with awareness.

“I heard through the grapevine that you scored yourself a hot date tomorrow night,” Magnus says playfully, fingers teasing the tense skin of Alec’s neck.

Alec licks his lips and nods, reaching over Magnus to grab their two drinks from the counter, thanking Gretel with a smile. He hands Magnus his martini, their fingers brushing lightly.

“He’s pretty great,” Alec tells him. He pauses, tipping his head down as he looks at him, a mischievous flicker dancing in his eyes. Magnus promptly forgets how to breathe. “Just far too confident in his pool skills, if you ask me.”

Magnus narrows his eyes on him, but the smirk curving on his lips belies his true intentions. “Oh, it’s on, Lightwood.”

Alec winks at him, and swirls around to walk to the pool table.

Magnus follows without a second thought, feeling utterly and unconditionally free.

.

They are in the middle of their second game, and Alec is assessing the table, contemplating his next move when he hears Magnus laughing at his back, the sound so beautifully luminous that it tears him out of his concentration at once.

He gazes back at Magnus, who motions for him to get closer, and Alec goes willingly, driven by a force beyond himself.

Magnus points at something behind Alec, and Alec frowns in curiosity, following his finger. There, in a dark corner by the jukebox, Paolo and Underhill are fully and unabashedly making out, Adele’s Rumor Has It softly playing in the background.

Magnus chuckles again, and Alec laughs with him, the sound dying in his throat when Magnus presses a soft, flickering kiss against his neck.

He wraps an arm around Alec’s waist, and Alec leans into him, smiling.

“Rumor has it this whole thing has been pretty ridiculous,” Magnus murmurs.

Alec turns around to face him, fingers drifting on their own to cup his face in his hand. He is looking up at Alec with fondness and a little something more in his amber eyes, something Alec wouldn’t dare to put a name on just yet.

“Speak for yourself,” he murmurs, thumb brushing lightly against Magnus’ bottom lip as he licks his own. “I think it turned out great.”

Magnus chuckles, and tilts his head up to kiss him.

Alec wonders inwardly if kissing Magnus will ever feel anything but extraordinary, and he thinks it probably won’t.

When they pull back, Magnus steals one last kiss, quick and chaste and yet utterly earth-shattering, and turns back to the pool table.

“Alexander?”

Alec blinks out of his daze, and he has no doubt his gaze is unbearably intoxicated when he settles it on Magnus.

“Hmm?”

“If it works out between us in the long run and you propose to me through Heidi, I will make you go see every single Yankees game until the end of time.”

Alec’s heart skips a beat, but he quickly recovers.

He chuckles and presses a quick kiss to Magnus’ lips, and another one to his hairline, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to tug him against him.

“Noted,” he murmurs against his temple.

Magnus relaxes against him, and Alec wonders if proposing through the intranet chat is out of the question too.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these two dumbasses with all my heart.
> 
> I'm (mostly) on twitter [@_L_ecrit](https://twitter.com/_L_ecrit) and sometimes on tumblr [@lecrit](http://lecrit.tumblr.com/).
> 
> All the love,  
> Lu. ❤


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